Hedgehog Cages

Listed below are hedgehog cages designed specifically for these unique pets. All Hedgehog cages have a solid floor for tender hedgehog feet and a drop-in style pan. See other sections for accessories, foods and treats.

One of the most important considerations for hedgehog cages are size, safety, ventilation, and how easy the cage is to clean. There are pros and cons for the different varieties of cages, it is important to find a cage that meets the special requirements of hedgehogs.
Size
Hedgehogs will cover a lot of ground in the wild in their search for food. Pet hedgehogs need lots of room to move about. Two square feet (e.g. 1 foot by 2 feet) is sometime quoted as the minimum floor space for a hedgehog, but this should be considered a minimum, and only used if you have a wheel and give your hedgehog ample time to roam around outside the cage for exercise. It would be much better to look for a cage about four square feet.

Safety
A hedgehog cage needs to have a solid floor (no wire above the bottom), so avoid any cages with wire or wire mesh flooring (hedgehogs may catch and injure their legs or feet on wire floors). Hedgehog cages should not have any sharp edges or spaces in which a hedgehog could get his or her head stuck.

Ventilation
Good ventilation is necessary to keep humidity levels down and to prevent ammonia (from urine) and odor from building up in the cage. Wire cages offer the best ventilation. This is what we suggest as opposed to fish tanks.

Ease of Cleaning
Your pet hedgehog's cage will need cleaning frequently, and a large, heavy or awkward cage will make this chore very unpleasant. Keep the cage light weight for easy access.

Wire Cages
Many Hedgehog owners opt for wire cages, since they are quite readily available and these have the the advantage of good ventilation. In addition, they are usually pretty lightweight and easy to clean. However, few are made specifically for hedgehogs so you need to be very particular when choosing a cage. Avoid any cages with wire flooring (or if you need to use a cage wit ha wire floor, cover the wire with wood, plastic, or a Vellux blanket cut to fit securely). Additionally, cages large enough for hedgehogs might have wire spacing that is too large for safely housing hedgehogs (look for cages with spacing of 1 inch or less). All of the cages listed above on this web page are suitable for pet African Hegehogs.

Aquariums
Aquariums are okay to use, but only if you have a large aquarium (i.e. 30 gallon long is a good minimum) and a wire mesh top. The major disadvantages of using aquariums are the lack of ventilation, and aquariums are heavy and awkward to clean.